Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin believes Graeme Shinnie and Sivert Heltne Nilsen have formed an instant rapport.
The duo have only played four games together, but Thelin believes captain Shinnie and summer recruit Nilsen have already developed a vital understanding in the Dons engine room.
The pairing were a key factor in Monday’s 2-1 win at St Johnstone, the club’s fifth win in a row, as Aberdeen continued their strong start to the campaign with all three points in Perth.
Thelin is delighted to see Nilsen settle quickly in Scottish football and believes the former Brann captain and the Dons skipper complement each other well.
The Aberdeen boss said: “You think they have been together a lot longer than they have.
“Shinnie has been really good in the League Cup and against St Johnstone. He has a big engine and a big heart.
“I like his spirit and how he can take another step sometimes when it is needed in a game.
“They have two different ways in how they play, but it is working well together.
“Nilsen has settled in well. It is not easy coming into a team, but how the new players and ones from last year interact is really good.”
‘There was no stress and we did not panic’
Thelin was pleased to see his side record an opening day away victory in the league for the first time since a 1-0 win at Dundee United in 2015.
The determination not to let Gavin Molloy’s late own-goal undo the hard work put in to take all three points was a particular source of pride for the Aberdeen manager.
But Thelin knows there is still room for improvement from his side.
He said: “Going to St Johnstone and winning is not easy, but the players were all working hard to block shots and finding a way to win, and I’m happy with what I saw.
“There was no stress and we did not panic. The team did the basics really well and found a way
“But we can’t do everything at the beginning. We have to keep working on parts and add some things.
“I’d like to see more control of the game. We defended well and had more transitions as a team, but we have to go to the pitch and train more.”
A strong start but Thelin wants more improvement
Thelin saw enough to take heart heading into Sunday’s first home league game against St Mirren, but with tougher tests to come, the Dons boss knows there are areas which can be improved.
The Aberdeen manager is still looking to add to his squad, but he insists further improvement can be made on the training pitches at Cormack Park.
He said: “We are always ready in the window, but the most important thing is how the players grow.
“I am happy with how they performed, but it is a long-term process and we have to grow. We need everyone.
“We work a lot on set-plays offensively and defensively, and the coaches and players are doing a good job.
“Our transition is something we also want to bring to our identity and it is getting better every game.
“How can we find a solution from a situation where the opposition are winning second balls? We have to break that momentum and have more possession for a while.”
On his home league debut on Sunday, Thelin added: “I’m really looking forward to playing at Pittodrie.
“I’ve done before it in the cup, but now it is in the league and it should be really nice.”
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